The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-07-20


"Ye bet. remember il, ole hoss," said
Hamp with that peculiar Western dialect
which sounds SO harsh to cultured ears.
"Ye left so sudding, Hamp. What
made yer do it? l went ter bed expectin'
yer back next mornin' an 10 an behold.
yer didn't come, an found out arterward
that We d put out fur Calforny."
"Yes, went sudden
"Struck it rich, hear?"
"Purty good lead"
"Glad ter hear it. I want ter see We, an
talk with We over it all after awhile, when 1
get time
"Tll do it, ole boss"
He had always been very quiet man.
| and it was not strange that he should seem
SO silent on this evening.
"Say, Jonathan, ar the boys lookin
arter yer horses?" asked Mr.. Stump.
"Yes, Pete; they've got bout all they kin
do, though, fur thars bout twenty or
thirty teams thar ter look arter, an more
a-comin'."
The roads seemed alive with horsemen
and people in wagons, all coming to Pete
! Stumps.
"Tilda, he looks kinder sad, don't he?"
said Jonathan, as he sat by his wife in the
big sitting room, watching the face of the
man who had left the neighborhood a
pauper so many years ago and returned a
millionaire.
Pears t me he looks kinder disappointed
like" said Aunt Tilda, gazing at the face
for long time through her glasses.
"Disappointed-why should he be dis
appointed, ole woman; don't We know he's
a millionaire now? He's got all the money
! he kin possibly want. an more'n he'd ever
spend. Guess he kin enjoy himself some
now"
"But look at him. He signs, Jonathan,
and looks about. Oh, Jonathan, money
can't alters make people happy"
IL guess it d make me most pow'ful
happy jist now"
At this moment supper was announced,
and the older folks were hurried off to the
great old-fashioned country dining room,
where the table fairly groaned beneath its
| load of good things. Country delicacies
are always nicer and fresher than can be
found anywhere in city hotels. The vego-
tables grow in their season and have all the
! Juice and flavor nature intended-have
not the stale, fiat taste of premature
| ot-house development of the wilted vege-
tables found in cities.
Uncle Jonathan was placed at the head
Of the table, so he could carve the turkey,
his wife on his right, and Hamp Flatmarsh,
! whom they insisted should eat at the first
table, on mis- left.
Musicians were scraping their violins,
getting ready for the shake down" as
soon rs supper should be over.
The younger people, who were TO come
in at the second table, we're in the great
sitting-room chatting and laughing as only
| youngsters can.
81 say, Tilda, hev We seen anything o
Betsy this evenin'?" Uncle Jonathan
asked.
"Who? Wot did We say?" asked the re-
turned Californian, starting up as If from
a reverie.
Betsy Camp; she was to been here"
"She was?"
Yes, heerd she war comm"
She'll be here yit, put in Aunt Tilda.
"Dye reckon she will? Dye reckon she
will, Aunt Tilda?" There was q depth of
pathetic eagerness about the question
which greatly intensified the fire in the
dark gray eyes.
"Oh, yes, she'll come, I'll be bound"
Then Hamp seemed to recover his self
possession, and sank into his usual re-
served manner. If some powerful emo
tons were raging within that heart, they
were hidden by an armor of steel, and were
known only to himself.
The California millionaire finished his
supper, and then went into the sitting
room, where he took his broad brimmed
white hat from the peg on the wall, and
drawing it low over his eyes, sat down, APP
parently oblivious to all his surroundings.
A little hustle at the door announced a
new arrival, and some one said:
She's come at last"
The forty miner looked up from under
his broad bnm and his eye instantly blazed
with new light. He started to his feet
h,,t OH ha har i
where he was, and sat down again. The new
arrival was little woman with large blue
eyes and profusion of golden hair. She
was past thirty, and the combined influence
of time and care had left some wrinkles on
her face, though there was no little beauty
remaining. This was Betsy Camp, the
"neighborhood schoolmarm.
Betsy was hurried out to supper, while
the very man in whose honor the enter
tainment was given sat swearing at his ILL
| fortune.
She returned and was then presented to
him.
Betsy? Course know her, cried Hamp,
starting up and Selling one small hand in
his. "Why, it seems an age since / sot
eyes on her, but I'd know 'er yit 'mong a
million
Betsy's pale face turned very red, and
utI eyes uIOOptu, MIllc LUMP bllll htiNi
her hand. The music now struck up, and
the floor was cleared for dancing.
"Come, Betsy; it's been long time since
you an me TUX trot tergether; let's hev a
tramp wi tie rest"
"Oh, Hamp! belong to church now, " she
said softly; "besides, teach the school,"
"Itll be all right.
do you think it will?"
"Know it."
They were in the "first set" and when it
was over Hamp, who seemed suddenly in
spired with new life, led his flushed part :
ner to a set in the very farthest corner of
the room.
"Betsy," he whispered in his coarse Pa
cifc slope dialect, Its been a long time
since / sot eyes on We, but never forgot
We, nor that Sunday evening when left We
on the hill.
"Hamp, what made you go so sudden"
she asked.
He tried to speak, but his throat seemed
to clog up despite himself. He crossed
and uncrossed his legs, kicked his heavy
mining boots on the floor, and drew his
broad-brimmed hat lower down over his
eyes. At last he said:
Betsy, guess / war a dot-rotted fool.
Fact is, was mad. Did We mean it,"
"What?" she asked.
"What yer said bout Newt Bowman.
IL don't remember now what did say.
a IL